Finger Food Products to expand in Niagara County

Fri, May 6th 2016 04:20 pm

Finger Food
Products Inc., a family-owned business, is embarking on a multimillion-dollar
relocation and expansion in the Town of Wheatfield. The company held its
ground-breaking ceremony Tuesday at its new location in the Vantage
International Point industrial park.

"Finger Food
Products Inc. is excited to be expanding into a new production facility, which
will allow us to meet the increased demand for our Original Pizza Logs," said
Jason R. Cordova, owner of Finger Food Products Inc. "We thank Gov. Cuomo for
his support of this project, giving us the opportunity to supply our popular
product to even more of the most premier sports venues in the United States."

Finger Food
Products has served the Western New York community for more than 25 years. The
business began in a small facility behind a convenience store in Niagara Falls,
where its flagship product, the Original Pizza Logs, were all rolled
individually by hand. Demand for the product grew throughout Western New York
and spread across the Northeast.

"Over the last
three decades, everyone has gotten to know the Original Pizza Logs as a popular
local snack food," said Legislator Kathryn Lance of Wheatfield. "More than
that, though, those of us involved in local government and economic development
have gotten to know Original Pizza Logs as a strong local brand, committed to
creating jobs and investing back in our community."

The new site
project includes the construction of a new, $3.9 million, 30,000-square-foot
food-grade facility in order to meet increased demand and expand into new
markets. The project, also involving the purchase of new machinery and
equipment, will retain 16 full-time, permanent jobs and create 11 new jobs.

"Original Pizza
Logs are a staple for major sporting events both regionally and nationally, so
we're thrilled the manufacturing facility is expanding in Niagara County," said
state Sen. Rob Ortt. "The state-of-the-art facility will be alongside other
well-known manufacturing companies at Vantage International Point industrial
park, which will help it to succeed and thrive. More importantly, the move will
retain full-time jobs and create new, entry-level jobs that will further grow
and strengthen our local economy."

"I wanted to keep
the business here (in Niagara County), where the business started and it was
born, and I want it to grow (here)," Cordova said.

"I certainly
appreciate the fact that you've chosen to stay here, that your jobs, your
workers, are going to be staying here for years to come," Town of Wheatfield
Supervisor Robert B. Cliffe told Cordova. "We look forward to more jobs in the
future."

"All of Niagara
County should be proud of the success Finger Food Products is enjoying," said
state Assemblyman John Ceretto. "The new location will enable them to have more
orders rolling in and more pizza logs rolling out. I look forward to seeing
this veteran-owned business continue to grow and provide jobs for people in the
region."

New York state,
through Empire State Development and its Excelsior job program, is providing up
to $243,000 in performance-based tax credits over 10 years in return for Finger
Food Products' proposed investment and job creation commitments.

"This completes
site development at our industrial park. We are built out," Lance said. "We're
grateful Empire State Development chose to join this venture and provide
critical support for a locally grown company that has chosen to reinvest $3.2
million in our local economy, and create needed local jobs."

Finger Food Products has provided
the food industry with Original Pizza Logs for more than two decades. Original
Pizza Logs can be found at national and regional food service distributors,
regional grocery supermarkets, and some of the largest pizzeria chains
throughout the U.S. Original Pizza Logs can be found at professional baseball,
football and hockey venues as partners of the Buffalo Bills, Buffalo Sabres and
Pittsburgh Pirates.

Pictured: Community officials help
CEO and owner of Finger Foods Inc. Jason Cordova and his family break ground at
the company's future location in the Vantage International Point industrial park.
From left: Cordova's wife, Jessica, and their daughter; Cordova; Clifford
Mason, senior manager, National Fuel; Legislator Kathryn Lance of Wheatfield,
chairwoman of the Economic Development Committee; Harry Francois, NYPA Western
New York regional manager; and Bob Cliffe, Town of Wheatfield supervisor.
(Photo by Lauren Zaepfel)